Old Jews Telling Jokes is cracking me up right now. Created by Sam Hoffman, it’s a homage of sorts that has a few simple rules: the joke-tellers are Jewish, at least 60 years old, and they have to tell their favorite joke – the one that always kills.
Hoffman’s also got a great view on the historical/cultural role of jokes:
Jokes are like stories, but shorter and funnier. Old jokes tend to have a stigma, but they only last if they’re good. Some of the best ones provide a window to the culture of a bygone era. ¬†They can reveal the concerns of a generation or even the generation before. ¬†Anxieties of coming to a new country, of prospering, of assimilating, of having families, of fearing and worrying about, well, everything.¬†Humor was and is the ultimate anti-depressant.
Great stuff, and having recently watched a few episodes of Make ‘Em Laugh… I’m really loving this. [via Coudal Partners]
